Jobs at CSPI

CSPI was started in 1971 by three scientists who saw the need for an organization to evaluate the effects of science and technology on society and to promote national policies responsive to consumers' interests. CSPI focuses primarily on health and nutrition issues, disclosing deceptive marketing practices, dangerous food additives or contaminants, and flawed science propagated by profits. Findings are communicated in press interviews and a variety of educational materials, which include reports, books, posters, software, videos, and the Center's Nutrition Action Healthletter.

CSPI offers internships for a small number of qualified students in undergraduate, graduate, law, and medical schools each summer and during the school year. We also consider post graduates. Applications are considered on a rolling basis until all positions have been filled. Please note the application review periods:

Summer internships - Applications considered in February/March

Fall internships - Applications considered in July/August

Spring internships - Applications considered in December/January

We are offering unpaid internships on a full-time or part-time basis. The specific dates of an internship are flexible and depend on our needs and the applicant's schedule. CSPI offers a collegial work environment and flexible schedule to accommodate your academic responsibilities and work-life balance. If your school offers academic credit for internships, we will work with you to meet your school’s requirements. We will also reimburse you up to $5/day for commuting expenses.

3. Writing sample, if required by the specific project (one to three page document that demonstrates your ability to write in a clear and concise manner).

Email to: hr@cspinet.org (this is the preferred method)

It's best to submit all of the requested documents at the same time.

If your background and interests are a good match for our internship, we will contact you using the information you have provided. Due to the volume of applications we typically receive we are unable to provide additional information on our selection process to applicants who are not chosen for interviews.

Please contact the Human Resources office if you have any further questions.

Food Day is a major national event that CSPI sponsors in October. The goal is to educate the public and support policy measures on such issues as diet and health, sustainable agriculture, farm-animal welfare, and food insecurity. We are seeking energetic interns with a strong interest in grassroots organizing who will assist with outreach to food and agriculture organizations around the country, and will support Food Day event planning and network-building efforts. Strong oral communication skills and attention to detail are required. In addition to grassroots organizing, interns may be asked to assist in the development of materials, draft social media content, and answer inquiries from the public about how to get involved in Food Day.

The Health Promotion Policy Project advocates for health promotion and prevention of disease at the local, state and federal levels, encourages the food industry to improve their products and practices, and engages health professionals, academics, and concerned citizens in supporting our efforts. In particular, Health Promotion Policy is working with advocates at the federal and state/local levels on policies to reduce sugary drink consumption (such as soda taxes and warning labels) and to reduce sodium in the food supply. Interest and experience in advocacy research, organizing and lobbying are a plus.

This project covers hot topics related to nutrition and health policies. Current issues include school foods, food additives, food marketing to children, obesity prevention, and getting junk food out of retail checkout aisles. Projects may involve research for policy analysis and development, tracking legislation and regulations, grassroots organizing to support state and local policy, and assisting in federal policy advocacy. Applicants should have a strong college-level science, public policy or law background and must submit a writing sample.

This department covers a broad array of topics, divided into the following areas of concentration: the production and inspection of meat, poultry, and seafood; sustainable organic agriculture; food additives; and pesticide safety. Currently, Food Safety is heavily involved with the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and actively focused on policies addressing the role of antibiotics in animal agriculture. Food Safety is seeking an intern with public health, science policy, or law experience to assist with CSPI’s work on these issues and more. Interns must have a strong interest in public health or food policy, and ideally have a background in toxicology, biochemistry, biological sciences, law, or public health. Applicants must have strong writing and computer skills and must submit a writing sample.

CSPI publishes Nutrition Action Healthletter (NAH), the nation’s largest circulation nutrition newsletter.
Interns assist with a variety of research and writing projects, especially helping to prepare material for the nutritionaction.com website and social media. Applicants should have strong research and writing skills. A background in nutrition or journalism is preferred.

The Litigation Project uses state and federal courts to help correct corporate misbehavior. The project brings its own advocacy lawsuits, working with private lawyers across the country. CSPI's legal filings have produced binding settlements resulting in more honest labeling of artificial ingredients and halting deceptive marketing. Many of the legal matters in these cases are developing issues with many interesting questions of both law and social policy. We are considering applications from first and second year law students. Applicants should have a strong interest in consumer and regulatory law, excellent legal research and writing skills, a commitment to public interest work, and must submit a legal writing sample.

Food Law and Regulatory Policy - Summer 2015 intern position has been filled (updated 3/16/15).

This opening is for a bright, hardworking law student to work closely with the Chief Regulatory Affairs Attorney on food labeling and misbranding, food additives and government oversight of the food supply before federal agencies and in Congress. The work involves legislative analysis and regulatory filings as well as litigation over principles of administrative law and food law. Projects may involve research for policy analysis and development, op-ed pieces, reports, tracking regulation and legislation and assisting in ongoing policy advocacy. Applicants should have a strong background in public interest advocacy and must submit a non-technical writing sample (i.e., not a legal memo) as part of their application.